The second phase of a comprehensive training programme targeting cassava farmers and food processors was held in South-West Nigeria with 1,200 cassava farmers and 200 food processors across five locations in Oyo State – Iseyin, Ijaye, Oyo, Serafu, and Soku were trained on good agronomic practices (GAP), cassava value addition, farm mechanisation, and the processing of high-quality cassava flour.
Some of the participants at the training with trainers from Master Bakers. Photo credit: AATF
The training was organised under the Mechanisation of Cassava Production and Processing Project, the initiative is being implemented by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in collaboration with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the Fund for the Promotion of Innovation in Agriculture (i4Ag).
The project coordinator, Mr. Taiwo Samuel Ogunleye, stated that the programme’s objective is not only to boost cassava yield but also to encourage value addition beyond traditional products like gari and fufu.
“This initiative is part of AATF’s broader commitment to enhancing the productivity and income potential of Nigeria’s cassava value chain,” he explained.
Dr. Adeyemi Olojede, Director of Tuber Crops Research at NRCRI Umudike and team lead for the initiative, emphasised the project’s long-term goal of empowering 6,000 farmers and 1,000 food processors in the region over a three-year period.
“This hands-on training is designed to improve cassava productivity and significantly enhance the livelihoods of farmers and processors,” he said.
Dr. Olojede also highlighted the importance of promoting the use of High-Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) as a means of boosting income diversification for rural households. He noted that experts from NRCRI, the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) Ilorin, and the Master Bakers Association in Abuja have been deployed to ensure the training’s success.
A key feature of the programme is its emphasis on women and youth empowerment, particularly in processing activities. The 200 participating processors, primarily women from Oyo State, were also trained in the economics and techniques of HQCF production, helping to create new opportunities and improve household incomes.
Participants expressed gratitude to the organisers for equipping them with essential skills that will enable them to adopt modern farming techniques, embrace mechanisation, and tap into value-added cassava products.
This second training phase follows the inaugural session held in 2024, during which over 800 farmers and processors were trained. The programme will conclude in 2026, reaching its target of 6,000 trained farmers and 1,000 trained food processors, fulfilling AATF’s commitment made during the commissioning of the Cassava Mechanisation and Agro-Processing Facility in Fashola, Oyo State, in April 2024.
By bridging the knowledge and technology gap in cassava production, the training is expected to contribute significantly to national food security and rural economic development.
On International Bat Appreciation Day, observed on April 17, 2025, conservationist Benneth Obitte underscored the critical role bats play in sustaining ecosystems and preventing disease outbreaks. Speaking to journalists, Obitte emphasised that the health of human populations is deeply connected to the wellbeing of wildlife, particularly bats, and the ecosystems they inhabit.
Bats
Bats and Human Health: An Overlooked Connection
“Science has proven that our health is directly tied to the health of our environment and the animals living in it,” Obitte said. “When bats are stressed, their risk of shedding viruses increases, just like rodents. As human activity encroaches on their habitats, the chances of contact – and transmission – rise.”
Obitte explained that bats are essential for ecosystem balance. “We rely on healthy bat populations to pollinate plants, control agricultural pests, and even reduce disease vectors like mosquitoes,” he noted. “Some bat species consume their body weight in insects each night, helping to suppress pests that would otherwise decimate crops and spread disease.”
Ecosystem Engineers: Bats as Pollinators and Seed Dispersers
Obitte highlighted the ecological importance of fruit bats, which serve as mobile seed dispersers. “Fruit bats often fly hundreds of kilometers each night, feeding on fruits and dispersing seeds across forests,” he said. “As they consume fruit juice mid-flight, they drop seeds far from the parent plant – an act that promotes reforestation and plant diversity.”
He added that insectivorous bats are also vital pollinators, especially for plants that bloom at night. “In the U.S. and Europe, bats save farmers millions of dollars annually by reducing the need for chemical insecticides,” he said. “Their ecological services are both invisible and invaluable.”
Public Health Implications: The Zoonotic Threat
While bats can carry viruses, Obitte clarified that the real danger comes from human encroachment. “Zoonotic diseases – those that jump from animals to humans – are more likely when natural barriers are broken,” he warned. One bat species, Rousettus aegyptiacus, has been linked to Marburg hemorrhagic fever, a deadly virus similar to Ebola. “This species is heavily hunted in Nigeria. If even one infected bat comes into close contact with humans, it could spark a public health crisis.”
Habitat Loss and Overexploitation: The Greatest Threats
According to Obitte, the biggest threats to bats in Nigeria are habitat loss and overexploitation. “Smallholder farming, logging, and tree felling are destroying the habitats bats need to survive,” he said. “These activities also threaten many other species.”
He pointed out that overhunting is a growing concern. “The chocolate fruit bat, Africa’s most hunted bat, is being wiped out across the continent. While some species can escape to new habitats, others – especially cave dwellers – are vulnerable to mass killings.”
Lack of Data and Research Gaps
Nigeria is home to over 100 bat species, but Obitte noted that the conservation status of many remains unknown due to insufficient data. “Some species may already be endangered, but we lack the research to confirm it. At the Small Mammal Conservation Organization, we are training new scientists to close this knowledge gap and provide data-driven conservation solutions.”
Obitte called for the enforcement and modernization of Nigeria’s endangered species laws. “Many of our wildlife protection laws are outdated and poorly enforced. We need urgent reforms and better coordination,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for widespread sensitization. “Most people don’t even know their actions – like hunting bats – are illegal. Education and public engagement are key to changing behavior.
Bats are indispensable to healthy ecosystems, food security, and disease prevention. Conserving them isn’t just about saving wildlife – it’s about safeguarding human lives. As Obitte put it: “We don’t need to fear bats if we respect their habitats. But if we continue to destroy the natural buffers between humans and wildlife, we open the door to the next pandemic.”
Fifty-five years after the first Earth Day celebration, the theme “Our Power, Our Planet” was chosen to commemorate the 2025 edition of this annual event. Earth Day is aimed at demonstrating support for environmental protection.
The ecosystem is already under pressure from various environmental challenges. Photo credit: Mayowa Adebote (2025)
Back on April 22, 1970, when the inaugural Earth Day was observed, many people were not aware of the power they held as individuals, industries, companies, and even nations. Today, as various environmental challenges impact different regions of the world, it is inspiring to see over 1 billion people in more than 193 countries recognising the potential within their hands to change our shared planet for the better.
Driven by the effect of environmental challenges such as the global warming, fossil fuel dependence, food and biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, and air pollution, the diverse range of events organised globally sends a clear and urgent message for us to use “our power” to protect “our planet.” This is not merely a slogan or campaign title; it should be viewed as a directive. We must acknowledge that the power to alter the course of the climate crisis lies not in distant promises or isolated efforts but in our collective will.
In addition to the human power we hold, this year’s theme highlights power as a resource. In line with the ambitious goal to triple clean electricity through renewable energy by 2030, outlined in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, we must ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
The world is at a crossroad. As we confront the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and energy inequality, it has become clear that the only viable path forward is a complete transition to renewable energy. This shift is not only essential for securing the planet’s future but also for addressing a range of pressing issues that threaten both human health and the environment.
The call to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy is no longer a distant ideal; it is a present-day imperative. The science is clear, the impacts are visible, and the clock is ticking. However, beyond environmental slogans and climate summits lies a simple truth: continuing down our current path is unsustainable, not only for Earth but for ourselves.
Fossil fuels have powered human progress for centuries but at a steep cost. From polluting city air with toxic emissions to destabilising our climate through carbon overload, their legacy is both powerful and destructive. Renewable energy offers a promising future – one where the skies are clearer and the air we breathe is no longer a silent killer.
Our ecosystem is already under pressure from various environmental challenges. We are approaching planetary boundaries while facing additional threats from rising temperatures and acidifying oceans. We have the option to explore renewable energy sources such as solar and wind to significantly lessen the burden on our lands and waters, helping to preserve the fragile balance of life on Earth.
Beyond renewable power from solar, wind, or hydro, we must recognise and harness our moral, intellectual, and collective power – the ingenuity of engineers, the determination of researchers, the activism of communities, and the boldness of youth who refuse to inherit a broken world.
The future isn’t waiting, and neither should we. Happy Earth Day 2025!
By David Praise Fashakin and ‘Seyifunmi Adebote
Fashakin is a Mechanical Engineering Student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and a Renewable Energy Enthusiast
Adebote is an Environmentalist and Communication Professional, a diplomat-in-training and International Development Practitioner. He hosts the Climate Talk Podcast and GreenBytes Wednesday series
This article presents a case for now vastly expanding the United States Peace Corps in light of threatened cuts to it and the dismantling of U.S. foreign aid department
Whereas there has been broad consensus that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is in need of reform, there is also an even wider and more deeply held belief that the value of Peace Corps – begun in 1961 – is incalculable relative to its incredibly modest cost. American citizens’ experiences of living and working with local communities around the world forges innovative, mission-driven individuals in all sectors of society, enhancing the United States and its allies.
Former Peace Corps Volunteer Mark Apel (second from left) returning to Morocco as a USAID Farmer-to-Farmer Volunteer, advising on agriculture development in the province where he previously served Photo credit: Rachid Montassir, 2020
At about one percent of the cost of USAID, the Peace Corps not only upscales American people’s skills at typically formative junctures of their professional lives, but earns the partnership of individuals, families, and communities in more than 140 friendly countries. President Kennedy’s vision for the Peace Corps was to annually place 50,000 American volunteers at project sites, approximately seven times the number of those currently serving.
Increasing the Peace Corps’ budget from its current level of approximately $300 million to a fully funded $2.5 billion (less than 10 percent of USAID’s latest annual budget), could fulfill the 50,000-volunteer potential. At this moment of radical change (the end of federal agencies and departments and their associated layoffs), the impact upon Americans and U.S. international partners of increasing the Peace Corps budget would not only generate jobs for U.S. citizens, primarily youth, but also bridge a spectrum of relationships at minimal cost.
A fair concern about the Peace Corps over its years has been its struggle to recruit people from all economic backgrounds; many people who have not had the opportunity to gain higher education have important practical skills that can be applied toward the betterment of society. Increasing the programme from 7,000 to 50,000 volunteers while broadening its access to those who may not have considered this professional avenue in the areas of agriculture, mechanics, teaching, health care, and more, could offset recent layoffs by creating jobs in the interior of the United States.
Moving to 50,000 Peace Corps Volunteers is the low-cost palliative needed to address the untenable situation of a high-cost international development complex removed from direct people-to-people experiences and the resulting insufficient impact. Also, the Peace Corps benefits the American volunteers as much or even more than the local people and communities with whom they engage all around the world because their capacities are strengthened by doing. Volunteers’ responsiveness to locally determined priorities not only achieves the sincere goodwill generated during the two-year Peace Corps service, but creates a frame of reference for them of what is entailed in economic growth, forming a basis for their future outsized achievements in all helpful walks of life.
Serious cuts to the Peace Corps will likely unleash the ire of the well-organized former volunteers (nearly 250,000) in all of the 50 states, with inter-state networks based on the countries and periods they served. The Peace Corps is therefore a third rail of United States global development assistance with now a wide array of consequences before us. For the cost, there is every good reason to immediately expand it to its original intention at a bargain that is rarely, if ever, found among government programmes.
By Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, a sociologist and former Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Morocco from 1993 to 1995
Stakeholders in the environmental sector have called on governments at all levels, civil society groups, and individuals to collaborate and invest in Nigeria’s renewable energy transition process.
Former Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi
Speaking at a conference held in Abuja on Tuesday, April 22, to commemorate the 2025 World Earth Day, they emphasised the need for substantial financial and technical investments from government and the public.
The event was themed “Our Power, Our Planet: From Policy to Action” and was organised by Climate Justice, Creative Culture and Communities for Peace (CCC4Peace).
It was in collaboration with TrashMongers, Ecocykle, Basic Rights Watch, the Initiative for Human Rights and Gender Awareness, the Coalition for Socioecological Transformation (CoSET), and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Mohammed Abdullahi, former Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, stated that many Nigerians are more concerned with daily survival than with reducing their carbon footprint.
He asserted that to achieve Nigeria’s ambitious climate goals, the government must prioritise breaking the cycle of poverty through targeted programmes.
This, he said, would empower citizens to afford climate-friendly solutions such as fuel-efficient cookstoves, LPG and biogas systems, solar home installations, and electric or compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.
“The government should place greater emphasis on innovation in energy infrastructure, optimal utilisation of domestic financing, and harmonisation of existing energy policy frameworks.
“In industrialised countries, energy systems have powered decades of development but also caused environmental damage, warming oceans, melting glaciers, and extreme climate events that disproportionately affect poorer nations.
“To truly transition, we must move from a mindset of short-term consumption to long-term restoration. The shift to renewable and sustainable energy is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
“And within that necessity lies an extraordinary opportunity to lead the way toward a better future.”
Abdullahi, also a former Minister of Environment, stressed that a just energy transition must ensure inclusivity, particularly for vulnerable communities, indigenous populations, and marginalised groups.
“This includes creating new opportunities for workers displaced by the fossil fuel phase-out and ensuring their access to retraining and dignified work within the emerging green economy.
“The world today faces an existential crisis driven by unsustainable energy practices, climate change, and environmental degradation. Yet, this is also a moment of unprecedented opportunity,” he added.
Peniel Ibe, Coordinator of CCC4Peace, explained that the initiative seeks to empower Nigerian youth to participate meaningfully in both local and global climate discourse and advocacy.
She explained that the initiative aimed to introduce young people to justice-centred climate solutions and to demonstrate how such solutions could be applied within their local contexts.
“YouPad serves as a platform for youth engagement in policy, climate change, security, governance, and development.”
Ibe expressed appreciation to the participants, noting that their presence demonstrated a collective commitment to securing not only the future of the planet and Nigeria, but also a future grounded in justice, inclusion, and action.
“As we mark World Earth Day, we are reminded of both the planet’s fragility and the power of our collective resolve as Nigerians.
“The climate crisis challenges us to rethink our approach. We cannot afford to serve both the fossil fuel industry and the renewable energy cause.
“We cannot promote justice and injustice simultaneously, as the consequences, especially for Nigeria would be dire.”
She observed that although momentum is growing across Nigeria and Africa for renewable energy adoption, the transition risks replicating existing inequalities if not deliberately planned and inclusive.
She explained that the conference was part of an ongoing initiative by CCC4Peace and YouPad to bridge the gap between policy dialogue and the lived experiences of communities most affected by climate change, with a focus on youth engagement.
“Policies are often crafted without input from the very communities they affect most. We felt the need to create a space for diverse voices to reflect and respond to a critical question: how do we move beyond policy to meaningful, inclusive action rooted in community realities?
“The fight for a liveable planet, one in which Nigerians are safe, is not only scientific and technical, it is also profoundly social, political, and moral,” she added.
Ibe expressed hope that the outcomes of the conference would translate into tangible actions within schools, strategic frameworks, and collaborative networks.
Other speakers, including David Arinze (Off-Grid Energy), Tengi Okoli (Natural Resources Governance), and Salaudeen Hashim, shared the views of both Abdullahi and Ibe.
They highlighted the importance of policy in promoting renewable energy use in Nigeria.
The conference also featured a panel discussion and fireside chat focused on how young professionals can contribute to Nigeria’s renewable energy transition.
Additional sessions explored strategies for ensuring the transition is rooted in environmental justice.
The event concluded with a screening of Drifting Away, a documentary series by Simpa Sampson, followed by an open discussion session.
As a fossil fuel-dependent nation, Nigeria is undertaking a transition aimed at diversifying its energy sources and reducing carbon emissions.
This aligns with the country’s commitment to achieving Net-Zero Emissions by 2060, as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term Low Emissions Development Strategies (LT-LEDS).
The Nigeria Energy Transition Plan (ETP) is a locally developed, data-driven, multi-faceted strategy designed to guide the nation towards net-zero emissions through reforms in energy consumption.
It outlines a roadmap for reducing emissions across five key sectors: Power, Cooking, Oil and Gas, Transport, and Industry sectors responsible for approximately 65 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Key targets under the ETP include achieving an installed electricity generation capacity of 250GW by 2050, with 90 per cent of this derived from renewable sources.
By the same year, 80 per cent of vehicles are expected to run on electricity, and clean cooking technologies should be adopted by 80 per cent of the population.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has led Nigeria’s delegation to the 2025 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings holding in Washington DC.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr. Wale Edun
The meeting holding from April 21 to April 26 in the US capital is being attended by delegations from 190 countries.
In Nigeria’s delegation are Chief Executive Officers of financial institutions, representatives of the private sector, Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and other stakeholders.
The meeting aimed at promoting global macroeconomics financial stability, along IMF’s long-standing mission would provide policy advice, surveillance of member countries’ economies, and financial assistance to countries facing balance-of-payments issues.
The meetings will focus on building a better balanced and more resilient world economy that can better withstand economic shocks and promote sustainable development.
The specific activities of the meeting also include analysing the world economy, holding bilateral consultations with member countries, and providing support to countries navigating economic challenges.
It will also discuss the global economic outlook, global financial stability, and poverty eradication
At the meeting, the IMF is also expected to release its World Economic Outlook and Global Financial Stability Report.
The World Economic Outlook will provide analysis and projections of the global economy, the global financial stability report, assess the global financial system and highlight systemic issues.
The meetings will also discuss the need for reforms to the global financial architecture to support developing countries as well as poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth
Other key area of discussion at the meeting is how to address the economic impacts of climate change on the nations.
IMF and the World Bank are two intergovernmental organisations, often referred to as the Bretton Woods Institutions that were established in 1944 to rebuild the global economy after World War II.
While the IMF focuses on maintaining the stability of the international monetary system, the World Bank aims to reduce poverty and promote development in developing countries..
The IMF also acts like a financial policeman, ensuring the global financial system functions smoothly, while the World Bank is like a development banker, helping countries invest in their future
Specifically, the IMF conducts economic surveillance, both at the national and global levels to monitor the health of its 190 member countries.
The IMF provides loan to member-countries struggling with a balance of payments crisis and offers advice on how to improve the their financial regulations
The World Bank on its part, focuses on reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development in developing countries.
It lends money to developing countries for development projects, provides policy advice and technical assistance, and promotes knowledge sharing and innovation to help countries tackle development challenges.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting biotechnology for national development, defending the safety of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in food and medicine.
Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare
Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, reaffirmed the government’s position during a collaborative meeting with the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa – Nigeria Chapter and National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Abuja.
Salako, who described biotechnology as “cornerstone of innovation”, said it is capable of transforming healthcare delivery, tackle malnutrition, boost food security and improve environmental sustainability.
He said: “Biotechnology opens doors to innovative diagnostics, precision medicine, regenerative therapies and improved vaccines.
“It offers immense promise to addressing endemic diseases, maternal and child health and nutritional deficiencies, especially among children.”
Salako added that responsible use of biotechnology must go hand-in-hand with robust biosafety frameworks to ensure public trust and environmental protection.
“With great promise comes great responsibility. Biosafety is the bedrock of our efforts,” he noted.
Addressing widespread public misconceptions, Salako defended the safety of GMOs, citing more than 2,000 studies and endorsements from global scientific organisations, including the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and more than 275 independent scientific bodies.
He said: “There is no credible evidence linking GMOs to cancer or other health risks, on the contrary, some genetically modified foods have been proven to offer superior health benefits. Our policies must be guided by facts, not fear.”
The minister, therefore, urged critics with contrary evidence to come forward for open scientific dialogue, reiterating that public policy would continue to be shaped by science, rather than commercial or vested interests.
He said the President Bola Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda places science and innovation at the heart of national development and aims to position Nigeria as Africa’s “Blue Zone”, a region of longevity, productivity and prosperity.
He assured that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would intensify collaboration with agencies like the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) and the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
Among others were the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure proper regulation, labelling and public education around biotechnology products.
“We are committed to creating a future where biotechnology and biosafety converge to create a healthier, more sustainable Nigeria,” he said.
The meeting brought together researchers, policymakers, regulatory agencies and civil society organisations to deepen understanding of biotechnology and biosafety and to chart a collaborative path forward.
The United Nations (UN) has called on all nations to develop new national climate action plans aimed at limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a crucial step to avert severe climate disasters.
Mohamed Malick Fall, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria
This appeal was highlighted during the commemoration of International Mother Earth Day, which is celebrated on April 22, as established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 2009.
The day emphasises the importance of recognising the Earth and its ecosystems as a shared home, underscoring the need for their protection to improve livelihoods, combat climate change, and prevent biodiversity loss.
During the event in Abuja, Mr. Roland Kayanja, the Director of the UN Information Centre, stressed the urgency of creating these climate action plans, urging countries, particularly those in the G20, to lead by example.
Kayanja was represented by, the Digital Media Assistant, Mrs. Bolanle Olumekor.
He underscored the importance of addressing pollution, halting biodiversity loss, and securing the necessary financing for environmental protection.
Kayanja expressed hope that 2025 could be a pivotal year for restoring the health of the planet.
Dr Umar Yakasai, Director General of the Tinubu Campaign Organisations, echoed the call for collective action to safeguard the environment,
Yakasai highlighted the responsibility of humanity to preserve nature for future generations through initiatives like tree planting.
Mr. Roland Echee, Director of Parks and Recreation in Abuja, also spoke about the intricate value of Mother Earth and advocated for a commitment to sustainable practices.
Hajiya Fatima Kachallah, President of the Association of Flower Nurseries and Landscaping Practitioners of Abuja, reinforced the message by stating that planting trees could mitigate the dangers of climate change.
She urged the adoption of environmentally friendly practices and emphasised the importance of environmental education, conservation, and sustainability in preserving the planet.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) says it has arrested over 300 persons and prosecuted scores, for waste disposal infractions.
Muyiwa Gbadegesin,
This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Folashade Kadiri, Director, Public Affairs, LAWMA, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Lagos.
The statement said that the arrest was carried out through the authority’s surveillance and investigative activities.
It said that the arrests occurred through collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) on its day and night surveillance efforts.
According to LAWMA, the surveillance is aimed at identifying and apprehending individuals and businesses involved in illegal dumping of waste across the city.
The statement quoted the LAWMA Managing Director, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, as saying that it deployed comprehensive strategies, including the use of surveillance teams and mobile enforcement units, to monitor environmental infractions.
He said: “Our night surveillance and enforcement team, working with LAGESC, has apprehended over 300 people for various waste-related infractions.
“Many have already been charged to court and many sentenced to community service.
“This will serve as a deterrent to those bent on derailing the authority’s efforts to sustain cleanliness of the environment.
“I like to note some specific incidents, including the arrest of one Engr. Akinsola along Egbeda-Akowonjo Road at about 9:20 p.m. on Feb. 7, 2025.
“The individual was caught dumping waste at the road median, and he claimed to be a police officer during questioning.”
Gbadegesin said that investigations later revealed that Akinsola’s residence had no waste bin and was not even registered with any Private Sector Participant (PSP) for proper waste disposal.
He added that the man later confessed to acting under the instruction of his landlord.
“Legal proceedings have commenced against him.
“In another operation on Shasha Road, 25 individuals, including six car owners, were arrested for using personal vehicles to dump large quantities of waste at the fence of Abati Primary School.
“Similarly, a woman identified as Fatima was caught on Feb. 5, 2025, at 10.37 p.m. dumping waste near Miccom Bus Stop along Akowonjo Road.
“Like others, her residence was not registered with any PSP. She is currently being prosecuted,” Gbadegesin said.
According to him, these arrests reveal the scale of illegal dumping activities across the city, especially under the cover of darkness, with the culprits claiming ignorance of the law or blaming their landlords.
Gbadegesin referenced Section 82 (1) of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, which prohibited waste dumping in unauthorised locations such as road medians, drains, and canals.
He noted that offenders risked fines of at least ₦25,000 and potential jail time under Section 109 of the same law.
“LAWMA will not relent in its mandate to make Lagos cleaner and safer for all. Enforcement is key, and we are leaving no stone unturned,” Gbadegesin said.
The LAWMA boss added that the Authority would continue to monitor, arrest and prosecute offenders.
He said that the agency ran continuous community sensitisation programmes such as door-to-door campaigns, to educate residents on proper waste disposal.
Gbadegesin added that the sensitisation are also to promote patronage of PSP operators and ownership of waste bins under the ‘Adopt A Bin’ Programme.
The LAWMA boss observed that new innovations such as the deployment of tricycle compactors and expansion of recycling programmes would help reduce the city’s dependence on dumpsites and improve access to waste collection in difficult-to-reach areas.
He called on residents to play their part by reporting erring neighbours or landlords, and urged them to patronise only registered PSPs and take collective ownership of their environment.
“Our goal is to prevent avoidable issues like flooding and disease outbreaks. We can’t achieve this without the support of the people.
“Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility. This is the era of, ‘See something, say something,” Gbadegesin stressed.
Biomass is currently the EU’s largest renewable energy source, but climate strategies often focus on other energy sources. A comprehensive analysis, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, now shows that biomass is crucial for Europe’s ability to reach its climate targets, as it can be used to produce fossil-free fuels and chemicals and also enables carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.
A comprehensive analysis led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden shows that biomass is crucial for Europe’s ability to reach its climate targets
If biomass were excluded from the European energy system, it would cost an extra €169 billion per year – about the same as the cost of excluding wind power.
Biomass, such as energy crops, logging residues, cereal straw and wood waste, is a versatile source of renewable energy that many industries want to use to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass can replace fossil fuels, for example in steel and cement industries and in power plants that supply households with electricity and district heating. It can also replace oil and fossil gas in the production of plastics and chemicals, as well as the production of fuels for vehicles, shipping and aviation.
In addition, biomass can play a key role in an increasingly important part of the climate transition: carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere, via carbon capture and storage (CCS). The carbon atoms in biomass have been absorbed from the air through plant photosynthesis.
Normally, when biomass is used for energy the carbon atoms are released back into the air as carbon dioxide. But when bioenergy is combined with CCS, those carbon dioxide emissions are avoided. Biomass use with CCS therefore provides energy along with carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere, which is known as negative emissions.
Rapidly increasing costs if the amount of biomass is reduced
With growing demand for non-fossil alternatives, the competition for renewable resources has intensified – prompting policymakers and industry to address questions about policies and investments into resources and technologies that effectively support the energy sector’s climate transition. As biomass has so many uses, scientists are grappling with questions about the role of bioenergy in the energy system. How is the energy sector’s climate transition affected by the varying availability of biomass? How and where is biomass best used?
In a paper in Nature Energy, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Rise Research Institutes of Sweden and Technische Universität Berlin, have carried out a comprehensive analysis and shown what a future European energy system could look like – including electricity, heating, industry and transport.
The researchers investigated two emissions targets for the energy system; one with zero emissions of carbon dioxide and one with negative emissions (minus 110 per cent compared to 1990). The biomass in the system consists mainly of waste material from forestry and agriculture within Europe, plus a more expensive part which can be imported.
The study’s lead author Markus Millinger, a researcher at Chalmers when the study was conducted and now a researcher at Rise, notes that biomass plays an unexpectedly important role in the energy transition.
“One thing that surprised us was how quickly it becomes very expensive if we reduce the availability of biomass in the energy system, due to the high costs of alternatives. If biomass is completely excluded, the costs of the energy system with negative emissions would increase by €169 billion annually, compared to the same system with a cost-optimal level of biomass. This is an increase of 20 per cent, which roughly corresponds to the cost of excluding wind power.”
If biomass availability is limited to the current level of biomass use in the European energy system, the additional cost is 5 per cent compared to the cost-optimal level.
“But the financial part is perhaps not the largest problem,” says Markus Millinger. “The big difficulty may be to scale up the alternatives. Even with biomass in the system, it is a real challenge to expand fossil-free energy to the extent needed. Further restrictions on the supply of biomass would make the energy transition very difficult, as even larger amounts of other types of fossil-free energy would be needed.”
“In addition, we would miss out on the opportunity for negative emissions that the utilisation of biomass provides. To then achieve negative emissions in the energy sector, carbon capture directly from the air would instead have to be scaled up to a large extent. This is a significantly more expensive technology that requires an energy input instead of providing a net energy output.”
Capturing carbon dioxide is most important
A central conclusion of the study is that the value of biomass in the energy system is primarily linked to the fact that it contains carbon atoms. Biomass as an energy source is less important. The large-scale technologies we have today to utilise the energy content of biomass, for example by burning it in power plants, can be combined with technologies to capture the carbon dioxide in the waste gases. Then the carbon dioxide can either be stored permanently underground or reused as a building block in products such as fuels and chemicals.
Biomass can thus supply energy and simultaneously enable negative emissions or replace fossil raw materials. And it is the latter opportunities that have now proven to be most important for the climate transition. Consequently, it is crucial that the carbon atoms are captured to be stored or reused efficiently, but it matters less how the energy content of biomass is used.
“As long as the carbon atoms are utilised, it is not crucial in which sector biomass is used, except that it is an advantage to use a small share of the biomass as a flexible reserve for electricity production to strengthen supply reliability,” says Markus Millinger. “Factors such as regional conditions and existing technical infrastructure are therefore important to determine what is most favourable. This means that countries can choose different paths if they want to use biomass to achieve negative emissions – for example via the production of electrical power, heat or biofuels.”
Provides an expanded knowledge base for policy development
The researchers have used an advanced model that includes more technologies and a higher level of detail than previous similar studies. The model also shows how all society sectors affect each other within the energy system. The new study thus provides an expanded knowledge base for policy development – not least linked to biomass and technologies for negative emissions.
“The capture and storage or reuse of carbon dioxide, for example through the production of advanced fuels, is dependent on large investments to get started, and long-term sustainable and reliable value chains need to be built. A market for fossil-free carbon dioxide would significantly strengthen the opportunities for such investments compared to today, when it is primarily the energy that is valued. But this requires that decision-makers create stable policy instruments to realise the great value of fossil-free carbon atoms within the climate transition,” says Markus Millinger.
Technology development and policy have stimulated an increasing utilisation of bioenergy in the EU. But there are also policy instruments that limit its use in various ways, based on concerns about possible negative effects such as higher food prices, deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
“The bioenergy sector is developing in a context where agriculture and forestry are meeting increasing sustainability requirements,” says Göran Berndes, co-author of the study and Professor of Biomass and land use at Chalmers. “Given that the climate transition is expected to increase the pressure on forests and agricultural land, it is important that there are regulatory systems that lead the development in a positive direction.”
“At the same time, bioenergy systems can be designed to contribute to more efficient use of resources and mitigation of the negative environmental effects of current land use. If policy instruments are designed to reward landowners and other actors for ‘doing the right thing’, this in itself can drive development away from environmentally harmful activities,” says Göran Berndes.
